Fanning hangs on, Slater bows out at Bells

MICK Fanning has showed there’s life in the “old boy” yet, eliminating Japanese world No.1 Kanoa Igarashi after coming out of retirement to pursue a fifth Bells Beach title.

The 40-year-old four-time champion, who quit the World Surf League tour in 2018, overcame the Olympic silver-medallist in a Thursday thriller.

He led a stunning eight-strong Aussie charge into the top 16, alongside Owen Wright, Jackson Baker, Ethan Ewing, Connor O’Leary, Morgan Cibilic, Callum Robson and Jack Robinson.

American veteran Kelly Slater, 11-times world champion and current world No.2, bowed out.

Slater said he was still recovering from a recent bout of COVID-19.

Former world No.1 and 2019 Bells champion John John Florence banked the best score of the day, with the Hawaiian earning a 9.93 to advance.

Igarashi needed 8.94 to move past Fanning and provided a heart-stopper in the last wave of the heat, but only managed 8.0.

Fanning won Bells as a teenage wildcard in 2001 and retired after he last surfed the event in 2018, when he lost to Italo Ferreira in the final.

“As a wildcard you want to come in and put on a performance,” Fanning, who was swamped by fans on the beach, said.

“Going up against the world No.1 I had nothing to lose I just came here to have fun.”

After catching six waves in the 30-minute heat he said he was feeling “gassed”.

“I didn’t realise my fitness level wasn’t up to it,” Fanning said.

“I’m thinking about getting some air – I’m gassed – this old boy ain’t fit.”

Wright, the Olympic bronze medallist, knocked out Griffin Colapinto in the first heat, outscoring the American 13.67 to 12.34 in a tight eliminator.

World No.7 Colapinto came into the competition as one of the form surfers after winning his first title in Portugal last month.

After a slow start Wright was trailing Colapinto with four minutes to go in the heat before he scored a 7.50 with his third wave to take the lead.

The Californian couldn’t respond, allowing Wright to keep alive his hopes of climbing the rankings.

Wright came into the event ranked a lowly equal-31st and needs good results here and at the next stop at Margaret River before the field is cut to 24 for the remaining events.

The 32-year-old was emotional after reaching the last 16 for the first time this year and said he kept his focus on ringing the prized trophy’s bell for the first time.

He has finished equal fifth at the famed surf break five times.

“I haven’t passed that (round of 32) for a while so it was good,” Wright said.

“I never count myself out to win, especially here at Bells as my whole goal is to ring the bell – it is every year.

“I was out there thinking of the bell and that you never know how you’re going to get to that bell – a shaky start could be it.

“I put that last wave to bed in the last five and by the time I got back out there was a minute left so it was a crucial wave.”